Izanami no Jidō: Kawahiru-Kurosaki Confrontation!
Identical Stranger Ahatake was running fast, everything around him being a blur. He'd made a brief stop by Kisuke's after leaving from his training with Seireitou and Raian, to pick up more of those healing pills Kisuke was good at growing. The bag was tied to his belt-loop and he was on his way back to the Soul Society. "I feel so light! Even my speed has increased!" He felt like he was running on air. "It's like I weigh nothing!" He easily exited the Senkaimon, landing straight on a body of water and kept running. He could feel spiritual pressure now, from the direction of the Yūrei. Signatures dropping off, people leaving the area, even energies sparking back to life. "What the hell is going on!?" In another direction, were four individuals. One with long white hair, tied in a ponytail, a female with curly purple hair, a young man with braided orange-red hair, but the one who seemed to be leading the pack was a purple-haired man with a large white gunbai on his back, all four of them heading in a single direction, right behind the latter. The young man with the red-orange hair jumped forward a bit, bearing closed eyes with a menacing grin; one that children would have nightmares about every night, until they're well into their teen years, if they ever caught even a glimpse of it. "Kawahiru-san, ahead, I sense a strange spiritual energy. Should we see who it is?" asked the man, his facial expressions remaining unchanged. The man addressed as "Kawahiru-san" stared in the direction they were heading, closing his eyes for a moment, before opening them. All four of them flashed ahead further, appearing in front of the incoming Ahatake from the opposite direction. The orange-haired young man was the first to greet Ahatake of their arrival, appearing right in front of the latter as he grabbed Ahatake's face, throwing him in the opposite direction that he was heading. "Hey, didn't anyone ever tell you to give a proper greeting when you meet people!" he mused. Ahatake skidded across the water, managing to find his footing. "What the hell, didn't people tell you not to throw random strangers across the ocean!?" He was already irritated, now this idiot came and made his mood worse. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to dwell on that. He could feel strong spiritual energy coming, a group of people, one of which felt similar to Seireitou, only...stronger. From behind the man who threw Ahatake, came the voice of the one who seemed to lead the group. "Jin... I told you not to act hastily." he stated, his voice being ever-so-emotionless and yet carried a lull that would pull the attention of anyone listening to him. Jin turned to face him with a common smile of his, "So sorry, Kawahiru-san." he mused. The man stepped forward, and looked at Ahatake with his sullen purple-lavender eyes. "You... You are Seireitou's student. Kurosaki Ahatake, I believe." he assumed. The man with the ponytailed white hair stepped forward a bit. "Seireitou? You never mentioned a name like that, Kamui-dono. Who is Seireitou?" he questioned. Kamui stood, facing Ahatake, but still addressed Hyōra. "He's my younger brother." he answered. Ahatake was, needless to say, stunned by this. Not even acknowledging that Kamui knew his name, he went on. "That nutcase actually has a brother? Guess it takes all kinds. Are you as crazy as he is?" Kamui narrowed his eyes into an even more serious demeanour. "Nutcase? Oh... that's right. You were his student. That explains why I can still feel that man's spiritual energy escaping from your freshly-healed wounds." he noted, as Jin smiled in his creepy way. "Does that mean it's not okay to kill him? Or can I, Kawahiru-san?" he asked. "Kill me?" Ahatake's irritation was growing. "Kamui-san, please, can you control him?" He pointed in the direction of the Yūrei Ōkoku. "I have business to attend to and I don't need him slowing me down right now." Jin chuckled for a moment. "Quite a mouth on him, Kawahiru-san." he remarked. Kamui stepped forward, not paying heed to either Ahatake's or Jin's statements. "If you truly are Seireitou's student, then it'd be insulting of me to not test your worth as a student of a Kawahiru." he answered. "Oh for the love of all that isn't holy." Ahatake sighed. "Fine, whatever gets you out of my way faster." His hands began to glow a slight orange. "Let's start this, I'll fry you here and now." To Prove a Student's Worth Kamui rose his hand at Ahatake, pointing his index finger at the latter. A small sphere of purple spiritual energy was formed at his fingertips, as it was released as a large beam, heading right for Ahatake. Ahatake's response was quite simple. He moved straight forward, using the flame on his hands to tear straight through the beam and make his way to Kamui. As soon as he neared the man, he unleashed a massive blast of white-hot flame, causing the water to turn into steam as it moved towards him. "Too slow." Kamui was behind Ahatake, as if he was there the entire time, holding one of the two swords he carried on his hip in his hand. He lunged the blade forward, aiming to lob Ahatake's head off in one clean slash. Ahatake summoned his dense black flames which served as a shield against the blade, allowing him to jump back and gain distance. "What the hell? I didn't even see him move!" He immediately drew his sword, knowing he'd need it. Kamui was still in his line of sight, and he swung, sending pressured air towards the man, ripping up water along with it. Kamui stood where he was, the pressured air merely making his long purple hair blow in the wind, as if his spiritual pressure was so great to actually cushion such pressured attack. "Do not tell me that this is the extent of which you have trained with Seireitou. If so, consider me unimpressed." "Son of a bitch..." His hands begun to glow with golden flames. He still had some of that residual absorbed power. He'd make this strike count. "Taisuga Tenshō!" He cried, thrusting his fist forward and releasing a mighty shockwave of golden flame towards Kamui, parting a great deal of the ocean as the flames enveloped him. Kamui had once again appeared behind Ahatake, as if he was there the entire time. But this time, he made no subsequent movement. "Tell me, Kurosaki Ahatake. Why do you fight?" The question caught Ahatake off-guard. "Why do I fight? What kind of question is that? My motive for battle is always different. Sometimes I fight simply for the thrill. Sometimes I fight because I want to. Other times, I fight to protect my family. What's it to you?" Kamui closed his eyes from the answer Ahatake had given, holding his blade by his side. "What are you waiting for? I am behind you." he stated, opening his eyes. "Attack." Ahatake frowned, jumping back to gain distance instead. "You asked me a question, attacking and answering would be rude. But..." He drew his sword, which gleamed in the sunlight. "The language of battle is best spoken with swords, yes?" With a soft nod, Kamui held his blade up. "It is your move, Kurosaki Ahatake. I advise you this. Do not lose your composure, do not break your stance, stretch out your awareness, and do not let your guard down for even a second. Do so... even for an instance, and this fight will end with your head rolling on the dirt." he stated. "I'd like to take that little speech, wrap it in a bow and give it to you for Christmas." Ahatake launched himself forward, swinging his blade and splashing salt water in Kamui's face. He vanished on the spot, appearing behind Kamui and swinging his blade directly to the man's spine.